Revolutionary decisions of the Synod of bishops Pugacheva and Galkin not married would

The Council of bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church introduced a number of changes in the practice of entering into a Church marriage. In particular, clearly outlined the number of past weddings and unions concluded in registry offices, allowing entry into new Church marriage. And clearly stipulated the impossibility of same-sex wedding of citizens; persons who changed sex; couples in which one spouse does not profess Christianity; foster parents with foster children, and people with one another in almost all degrees of consanguinity.

photo: Lily Sharlovskoe

To comment on these changes, we asked Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, the co-founder of “Russian mission”.

— The decision of the Council of bishops tightens the previous practice. This primarily concerns the number of marriages. Earlier some of the priests and bishops were allowed to join in the second or third religious marriage, even if all marriages with civil, state, a person was five. Now the same rules for all dioceses are the same: if a person registered more than three marriages — Church marriage impossible. If the marriage is the third of his Church’s blessing to be the first and the last. To clarify: this applies only to those cases where marriage was a man before his baptism. The sacrament of baptism washes away all sins. I think that our pop diva Alla Pugacheva, recently obvenchatsya with her fifth husband Maxim Galkin, someone suggested that we need to move now that her Church, the Union would have been impossible.

In the position of saying that you cannot make a marriage with a person who had a sex change. And what about someone born, say, in a man’s body, but it sense of self women? And he just brought his body into alignment with soul?

— If the person was born with a male body, in front of the Church he is a man. All his thoughts that he’s actually a woman, sinful or are a consequence of mental illness or promiscuity. The Council of bishops also recognized the absolute impossibility of same-sex marriage — I hope that this provision will remain forever, although surely there will be appeals and review it. In General, strict Church standards of marriage are often unfairly ignored in favor of the whims of politicians, famous and rich people. This is completely wrong.

Also the Council of bishops declares the impossibility of Union with heretics. Whom the Church considers heretics?

— This item will surely give rise to many ambiguous interpretations. For example, the Protestant teachings of the Cathedrals of past centuries were called heretical, but now don’t call them that because of political correctness. Although Protestants are increasingly moving away from Orthodoxy. In particular, give the blessing on same-sex marriage. Can we consider them heretics? If so, why is made a common Christian sacrament — marriage? This issue will cause divergent interpretation, the possibility of religious marriages between Orthodox and Catholics, Protestants is the reason for the debate.

— Well, amid the General tightening of the rules there is one indulgence: henceforth allowed to get married godfathers — godfather of the same child.

It can happen with the permission of the diocesan Bishop. In General, the canonical prohibition of marriage between godparents has not been before. Was not originally envisaged a pair of godparents — the boy was supposed to be the godfather, the girl’s godmother. Innovation — a pair of godparents, I got a semi-formal ban on marriage between them. Accordingly, already registered spouses could not be godparents to the same child. Now, I think it is likely that such a permit they will receive.

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